GREENBELT, Md. (WJZ)–Mixing rocket science and business. That’s what NASA and Maryland have signed on to do.

Alex DeMetrick reports the goal is to turn technology into down-to-earth jobs.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is in the business of getting technology off the earth. Getting more business into Goddard brought the state, federal government and NASA together in an agreement.

“That will support technology transfer from Goddard to Maryland businesses,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski.

And vice versa.

It also opens up Goddard to technology and companies’ ideas that could be used on mission products.

“So if there’s some advances being made by industry, certainly we’d like to learn about them and be able to partner with them,” said Nona Cheeks, NASA Space Flight Center.

The most current down-to-earth applications from space missions are in medicine. For example, upgrades to the Hubble not only helped the telescope see better, the technology led to digital mammograms to see cancer earlier. The mirrors on the next space telescope still under construction have produced super fine laser technology that could lead to even more exact Lasik eye surgery.

“Men and women who are working on these cutting edge technologies, these discoveries in space and the discoveries that reverberate here at home,” said Governor Martin O’Malley.

That leads to new products and potentially new jobs. The agreement could prove to be more than just pie in the sky hopes.

The agreement also stretches to the Eastern Shore, where the Wallops/Goddard Space Port is showing signs of growing commercial business.